Rosacea lymphoedema of the eyelid

To present a patient with rosacea lymphoedema of one upper eyelid resulting in unilateral complete ptosis.

A 51-year-old white man presented with a 12-month history of progressive painless swelling of the left upper eyelid. An incisional biopsy of the upper eyelid was performed.

The biopsy showed dermal oedema with lymphangiectasia and telangiectasia, accompanied by a mild to moderate mixed chronic inflammatory infiltrate of lymphocytes, histiocytes, plasma cells and rare eosinophils. Stains for fungi and mycobacteria were negative. The lack of lichenoid reaction, dermal mucin or lip swelling indicated a lymphoedematous manifestation of rosacea. The patient was treated with minocycline and prednisolone with no effect.

Rosacea lymphoedema involving the eyelid, as in our case, is a rare complication and can present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to the ophthalmologist.